Intro and Publications

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Visual Anthropology

Between the arts and science

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(Short) Intro

Visual Anthropology is a discipline of practice and theory. As a subfield of Cultural Anthropology it is concerned with the production of ethnographic images and the analysis of visual representations as well as its relationship to other fields of society and culture.

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The reversal of the gaze, Eastern Tibet 1930’s

Since his Master- and Ph.D thesis Luc Schaedler of «go between films» is involved in Visual Anthropology, both as part of his teaching at Universities and film schools, and as deep influence for his documentary films.

«The relationship between verbal and visual forms of expression in the field of ethnography (science) are manyfold. How they be mixed, can not be categorically decided. Each situation needs its own assesment and an experimental attitude towards both. Which dosis may be prescribed, is solely a question of art».
MICHAEL OPPITZ

→ «Das kleine Zürcher Filmwunder» – Visuelle Anthropologie an der Universität Zürich

→ «Der Film ist auch ein Showcase für die Universität» – Gespräch mit Luc Schaedler

→ Visual Anthropology (Wikipedia)

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Publications

Below you will find the Master- and the Ph.D. thesis of Luc Schaedler and a selection of previous articles:

↓ Ph.D.: ANGRY MONK: Literary, Historical, and Oral Sources for a Documentary Film (2007)

↓ Master: Arbeitsbericht zur Entstehung von MADE IN HONG KONG (1998)

↓ The little differences: cross-cultural exchange in filmschools (2011)

↓ Über die Wissenschaftlichkeit von Dokumentarfilmen (2009)

↓ Westliche Okkupation und östliche Selbstreflexion: Buddhismus im Spielfilm (2002)

↓ Tibet: Ein Projektionsfeld Westlicher Phantasien (1994)

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Angry Monk

A critical discussion of the documentary film «Angry Monk» as a hybrid between the arts and science:

↓ History & Anthropology (2008) – A critical review of «Angry Monk»

↓ Visual Anthropology (2008) – A critical review of «Angry Monk»

↓ American Anthropologist (2010) – Angry Monk: Reflections on Tibet

↓ IIAS Newsletter (2008) – Rebel with a cause: debunking the mythical & mystical Tibet

↓ AEMS Review (2008) – A critical review of «Angry Monk»

↓ Himal Southasian (2006) – The new reasoning of Gendun Choephel

↓ Revue de l’Inde (2006) – Réflexions sur le Tibet

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Sep 20, 2008 | visual anthropology | Comments Off on Intro and Publications

research-at-doc

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Anthropology

Visual Research

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Luc Schaedler of go between films sees himself at the interface of art, film and Visual Anthropology. Since 1996 he has been involved in various projects that conduct artistic, cinematic and scientific research using exclusively visual means (research-at-doc).

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Angry Monk (2001-07)
Doctoral Thesis

This visual research into Tibetan history and the biography of the radical monk Gendun Choephel had been designed as a bastard between art and science from the very beginning. The documentary film (90 mins.) is accompanied by a written thesis (2) critically discussing and contextualizing the research materials. It was the first film to be accepted as the main part of a Ph.D at the University of Zurich.

→ To the film «Angry Monk»

→ «Angry Monk» – a scientific discourse

Made in Hong Kong (1995-97)
Master Thesis

A visual research project in the fields of urban anthropology, migration and oral history. The documentary film (75 mins.) is accompanied by a written text, that critically discusses the making of the film and the working process in the form of a handbook for students (3). It was the first film to be accepted as the main part of a MA at the University of Zurich.

→ To the film «Made in Hong Kong»

→ Made in Hong Kong – A Handbook for Students (3)

Naga Identities (2009-11)
as part of an exhibition

The twelve hours of footage were shot in March 2009 as part of a large research project on Naga culture in India’s Northeastern border regions. Other products of the same research were the exhibtion “Naga: Ornaments and Ashes”, as well as the publication “Naga Identities: Changing Local Cultures in the Northeast of India”. It contains a collection of articles by various authors spanning an enlightening ark from the warring past, to an equally problematic present, to a very uncertain future.

→ to the project «Naga Identities»

Shamans of the Blind Country (2007-08)
Digitalising a classic of Visual Anthropology

Historical footage is mostly analog, the cinema of tomorrow digital: with color corrections, adaptions of the sound tracks as well as the reconstruction of the original order of the sequences Michael Oppitz’ ethnographic classic from 1978 was brought into the digital age. With Thomas Bochet.

Poster/flyer of “Made in Hong Kong”, 1997

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Sep 19, 2008 | visual anthropology | Comments Off on research-at-doc

Teaching – Mentoring

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University

Between the arts and science

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Luc Schaedler

is teaching and mentoring as freelance lecturer since 2001. In addition to workshops and lectures at international Universities – among them Vancouver, New York, Vienna and Berlin – he is regularly working at Zurich University and the University of the Arts (film department).

His emphasis in teaching and mentoring lies in the fields of documentary filmmaking (theory and practice), cultural anthropology, with a special focus on visual anthropology, as well as Tibet (history and Buddhism).

Teaching

His last Seminars took place at the Institute of Social Anthropology at the University of Berne (Switzerland) – Introduction to Visual Anthropology (The Classics of Ethnographic Filmmaking), The Ethnographic Interview (Theory and Exercise) and most recently Smartphone Anthropology at the Université de Fribourg.

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2009/10 Luc Schaedler has been involved in the Triangle Project, a cross-cultural exchange workshop between the film departments of the University of the Arts (Zurich), the Dramatiska Institutet (Stockholm) and the Theatre Academy of Shanghai. My paper ↓ The little differences about the workshop can be downloaded from here.

A film by Yun Long Song
(CH 2011, 10 Min., English)

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Mentoring

In his position as lecturer at the University of Zurich, Luc Schaedler has been mentoring the visual degrees (MA) of the students in the department of Visual Anthropolgy since 2006. The mentoring included the critical discussion of each proposal, productional and technical support as well as support during the editing, postproduction and promotion of the films.

Luc Schaedler also initiated a colloquium for anthropology students in which they present and discuss their visual projects in different stages of the making (ongoing).

The films were screened at the ethnographic student film festival Regard Bleu in Zurich and/or were invited to the Solothurner Filmtage in Switzerland (2007-2010):

• Promised Land (Balz Alter, CH 2010, 35 mins., MA, UniBa) • Chokora – Surviving on the Street (Lea Furrer, CH 2010, 50 mins., MA, UZH) • Arranged Love (Sarah Bregy, CH 2010, MA, UZH) • Por Amor (Isabelle Stüssi, CH 2009, 68 mins., MA, UZH) • Life in Bubbles (Nadine Lüchinger, CH 2009, 50 Min., Lizentiat, UZH) • Put Mira (Gian-Reto Gredig, CH 2008, 87 mins. MA, UZH) • The Cave of Justin (Mélanie Pitteloud, CH 2008, 52 mins., MA, UZH) • In A Whiteman’s Kontry (Balz Arter, CH 2008, 25 Min., Seminar, UniBa) • The Achuar (Elsner/Bissegger, CH 2008, 52 Min., MA, UZH) • Shanghai Manners (Claudia Jucker, CH 2007, 19 mins., Diploma, HSLU).

In A Whiteman’s Kontry – German
(Balz Alter, CH 2008)

Chokora – Surviving on the Street (Filmstill)
(Lea Furrer, CH 2010)

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Filmstill from “Chokora”, Kenya 2009

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Sep 18, 2008 | visual anthropology | Comments Off on Teaching – Mentoring

Smartphone Anthropology

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Visual Anthropology

University of Fribourg
Social Anthropology

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A practical seminar

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Description

Visual Anthropology deals with visual «representations» of cultural and social conditions in a reflective manner, both practically and theoretically. Historically, it has developed from the illustration of written travelogues into an independent research and knowledge tool.

Initially still analog, it has increasingly shifted to digital space, both in terms of production and «evaluation» (multimedia websites, blogs, YouTube, etc.). Today, Visual Anthropology goes far beyond mere representation and observation and is increasingly oriented towards participatory approaches (see an input lecture by Dr. Darcy Alexandra followed by a discussion).

The practical seminar «Smartphone Anthropology» is aimed at bachelor and master students who are interested in Visual Anthropology and would like to work visually as part of their studies. Debates will also be addressed and critically discussed, reflecting central questions within visual anthropology.

In this mainly practical seminar we will still read some theoretical texts, analyze documentary films and produce our own film contributions in group work. Through practical exercises, students will acquire rudimentary skills in using the smartphone as a research tool. Especially as a widespread everyday object, smartphones allow low-threshold access to the field and the “protagonists” involved.

Lecturer

Dr. Luc Schaedler: Studied ethnology at the University of Zurich. Graduated with two documentary films: Made in Hong Kong (Master, 1997) and Angry Monk (Ph.D., 2005). Independent filmmaker and producer since 2001.
→ Video On Demand

smartphone anthropology - luc schaedler - visual anthropology

Anka Schmid working on a documentary with her smartphone, 2020

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Below is a LINK to what gadgets we will need in the upcoming practical seminar «Smartphone Anthropology». To be able to film “professionally” with the smartphone a small investment will be necessary (appr. CHF 100).

To Smartphone Equipment and Filmic Pro → click here

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Sep 17, 2008 | visual anthropology | Comments Off on Smartphone Anthropology

Smartphone Ausrüstung

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Visuelle Anthropologie

Filmen mit einem Smartphone

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FILMIC Pro
für iPhone & Android

Folgendes «Smartphone Equipment» ist nötig, um «professionell» filmen zu können. Die vorinstallierten Photo- und Video Apps genügen dazu nicht. Es braucht dazu eine spezielle Video App, an der man flexibel unterschiedliche Einstellungen vornehmen kann. Dies betrifft sowohl das Bild (Format, Qualität, Stabilisierung, Farben, Schärfe, Blende), als auch den Ton (Qualität, Codec).

Im App Store oder auf Google Play:

→ FILMIC Pro (CHF 14)

Filmic Pro bietet alles, was zum Filmen nötig ist. Das User Manual von FILMIC Pro (v.6) kann als pdf Dokument runtergeladen werden.

Alternativ kann hier eine zusammengefasste Anleitung zu FILMIC Pro (v.6) heruntergeladen werden mit der Beschreibung der wichtigsten Einstellungen (inkl. Screenshots).

Die neueste Version von FILMIC Pro (2023) hat ein neues Layout und andere Funktionen. Versuchen Sie stattdessen, FILMIC Legacy (v.6) herunterzuladen, damit die App und meine Erläuterungen übereinstimmen.

Screenshot des «Einstellungsmenus»

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Filming Kit
Equipment für ein Smartphone

Für die geeignete Handhabung des Smartphones beim Filmen und die bestmögliche Qualität des Tons, braucht es ein Filming Kit. Dieses besteht aus einem Mini-Stativ (das man in der Hand halten kann und damit die «Kamera» führt), einem Smartphone-Halter (zur Befestigung des Smartphones auf dem Stativ, sowie als Halter des Mikrophones) und ein externes Mikrophon (zur besseren Qualität des Tons und zur Unterdrückung der Handgeräusche am Smartphone).

Filming Kit für Smartphones (iPhone, Android)